Acting Techniques for Warming Up
A common warm-up acting exercise involves re-naming your surroundings. The point of the exercise is to break down external barriers in the hopes of challenging any inner barriers that you may have. Follow these instructions: Take a deep breath. Choose an object in the room, and rename it. It doesnĄ¯t have to be a special name, just different. Move on to the next object, rename it, and repeat the new name of the first object. Repeat until you have renamed everything in the room.
A Small, Powerful Acting Resume
DonĄ¯t be afraid if your acting resumes seems sparse. A small but powerful resume can be very convincing. Each item in your resume should stand alone and leave no questions as to what your role was, what the production was, and where. Your work should be credible, which will help to develop an image of you as an actor. You won't have a lot of experience to list at first, but your resume will evolve with your career, changing as you develop more experience.
Audition Dress Code
When dressing for auditions, keep in mind the role you're auditioning for. There's no need to go all out and wear full costume, but dress with the essence of the character. If you're auditioning for the role of a young suburban mother, you may wear a nice twinset and slacks or a skirt. For a business man role, you might wear a suit or at least a sports coat. If your audition is a screen test, steer clear of wearing white, as it washes you out. The best color for screen is a medium blue. Remember the audition is to showcase your acting talent, not your wardrobe (they hire people for that!).
Getting Involved in Student Film
How do you get involved in a student film? Check the notices in Back Stage and other industry publications. Check the casting boards at the School for Film and Television and NYU every semester. Online groups are another way to get daily listings of audition notices. The most direct way to get involved in a student film is to call the film departments of local universities and inquire about student films. Follow up your research by sending in your resume and headshots.
Things to Watch Out For When Applying To Acting School
Beware of getting scammed when signing up for an acting school. No school that you apply to should ask for large payments upfront. A school with any kind of reputation will require you to audition for entrance rather than accepting you after just one interview. It is important to remember that a school should not ask you sign a binding contract with regards to your career before admission. Also, itĄ¯s a good idea to check out schoolĄ¯s backgrounds through friends and independent research.